Wayward sea lion Hoppie returns to ocean

As Marine Mammal Center volunteers watch as the three male sea lions race to the shoreline after being released, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Fenimore, left was treated for suspected domoic acid toxicity, Hoppie, center, was treated for malnutrition, alopecia and skin mites and Eugene, right, was treated for entangled in a fishing line. less

As Marine Mammal Center volunteers watch as the three male sea lions race to the shoreline after being released, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Fenimore, left was ... more

Photo: Lacy Atkins / SFC

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Dr. Shawn Johnson of the Marine Mammal Center, right makes noise to make California sea lion's Hoppie, left, Eugene and Fenimore swim out to the water after being released by volunteers, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Fenimore, right was treated for suspected domoic acid toxicity, Hoppie, left, was treated for malnutrition, alopecia and skin mites and Eugene, was treated for entangled in a fishing line. less

Dr. Shawn Johnson of the Marine Mammal Center, right makes noise to make California sea lion's Hoppie, left, Eugene and Fenimore swim out to the water after being released by volunteers, Tuesday May 6, 2014, ... more

Photo: Lacy Atkins / SFC

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Stan Jensen, left and Dr. Shawn Johnson of the Marine Mammal Center carry Hoppie's crate to the sand to be released, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, who was treated for malnutrition, alopecia and skin mites was rescued from an almond orchard in Modesto on March 31after swimming up the San Joaquin River. He was released with two other young male California sea lion. less

Stan Jensen, left and Dr. Shawn Johnson of the Marine Mammal Center carry Hoppie's crate to the sand to be released, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, who ... more

Photo: Lacy Atkins / SFC

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Hoppie waits in his crate to be released by the Marine Mammal Center volunteers, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie was treated for malnutrition, alopecia and skin mites was rescued from an almond orchard in Modesto on March 31after swimming up the San Joaquin River. He was released with two other young male California sea lion. less

Hoppie waits in his crate to be released by the Marine Mammal Center volunteers, Tuesday May 6, 2014, at Chimney Rock in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie was treated for malnutrition, alopecia and ... more

Photo: Lacy Atkins / SFC

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Hoppie, left, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, plays with Eugene, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male California seal lion pup treated for malnutrition and skin mites at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., was rescued after being found at the Mape's Ranch almond orchard in Modesto, Calif on March 31. less

Hoppie, left, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, plays with Eugene, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

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Hoppie, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, looks out of his carrier before being released back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male California seal lion pup treated for malnutrition and skin mites at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., was rescued after being found at the Mape's Ranch almond orchard in Modesto, Calif on March 31. Two other sea lions were released along with Hoppie. less

Hoppie, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, looks out of his carrier before being released back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

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Hoppie, center, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, joins Eugene, left, and Fenimore, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male California seal lion pup treated for malnutrition and skin mites at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif, was rescued after being found at the Mape's Ranch almond orchard in Modesto, Calif on March 31. less

Hoppie, center, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, joins Eugene, left, and Fenimore, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

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Hoppie, left, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, follows Eugene, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male California seal lion pup treated for malnutrition and skin mites at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., was rescued after being found at the Mape's Ranch almond orchard in Modesto, Calif on March 31. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) less

Hoppie, left, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, follows Eugene, right, during their release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a ... more

Photo: Associated Press

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Hoppie, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, heads for the surf during his release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male California seal lion pup treated for malnutrition and skin mites at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., was rescued after being found at the Mape's Ranch almond orchard in Modesto, Calif on March 31. less

Hoppie, the sea lion rescued from an almond orchard, heads for the surf during his release back to the wild at Chimney Rock Tuesday, May 6, 2014, in Point Reyes National Seashore, Calif. Hoppie, a male ... more

Photo: Eric Risberg / Associated Press

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FILE - In this March 2014 file photo provided by the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, shows a sea lion pup named Hoppie who was found at Mape's Ranch near Modesto, Calif. Workers at the central California ranch could hardly believe their eyes when they spotted a sea lion pup hopping through an almond orchard, a mile from the San Joaquin River. Hoppie is now recovering at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., and is undergoing treatment for sores and getting some much-needed nourishment in hopes of returning him to the wild. (AP Photo/San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, Eric Hopson, File) less

FILE - In this March 2014 file photo provided by the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge, shows a sea lion pup named Hoppie who was found at Mape's Ranch near Modesto, Calif. Workers at the central ... more

Workers at the Modesto ranch discovered Hoppie in early April more than a mile from any water. The California sea lion pup was starving, dehydrated and covered in sores after a nearly 100-mile trip up the San Joaquin River. Eric Hopson with the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System was the first to respond to the call about the animal, so rescuers named the pup after him.

Just after noon Tuesday, volunteers from the Marine Mammal Center, a rescue center based in the Marin Headlands, released Hoppie, along with two other sea lions, Eugene and Fenimore, near Chimney Rock at Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County.

The center has seen an unprecedented number of starving animals this year. The group has more than 1,000 volunteers who respond to reports of strandings.

As of last week, the center had already brought in 429 sea lions and seals, surpassing previous record numbers for the same time period.

Eugene was brought to the center after getting tangled in fishing line, which caused scarring around his neck. Fenimore was suffering from domoic acid toxicity, a condition caused by ocean algae blooms that is responsible for the death and injury of countless sea lions along California’s coast.

Workers carried the sea lions onto the beach in three large dog crates. Bringing his journey full circle, Hopson opened Hoppie’s cage to set him free.

The three sea lions waddled out onto the beach and looked around at their new surroundings. As they made their way to the surf, Hoppie kept looking back at the volunteers on the beach. At one point, Hoppie cuddled up next to Eugene and hid when a nearby elephant seal barked at him.

Dr. Shawn Johnson, director of veterinary sciences at the center, was no fan of long goodbyes. He banged a piece of plywood, causing a loud noise that sent the sea lions scurrying into the water.

Hoppie, Eugene, and Fenimore then got into the ocean and swam out of site.